Mediterrano meets Main Street

continued

That triptych of large canvases with a sun-drenched rustic simplicity reminiscent of, perhaps, Matisse has an interesting history. Roumanis saw the artist's work in a museum in Traverse City on a family vacation around the time he was planning Mediterrano, took photos of it, and commissioned his interior designer to paint some murals that captured some of their flavor. But Sakall somehow got wind of it, and to her, imitation wasn't a form of flattery. She came down to see them and was traumatized. After a series of tearful (on her side) negotiations, Sakall and Roumanis worked out a deal, and her originals now hang in the restaurant.

Mediterrano, 2900 S. State, Suite 7, 332-9700. Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sat. noon-10 p.m., Sun. noon-9 p.m.    

[Originally published in August, 2012.]